Alanda. Name of a legion formed by Julius Cæsar from the best warriors of the Gauls.
Aland Isles (Gulf of Bothnia). Taken from Sweden by Russia, 1809. See [Bomarsund].
Alani. A Tartar race; invaded Parthia, 75; were subdued by the Visigoths, 452, and eventually incorporated with them.
Alarcos (Central Spain). Here the Spaniards under Alfonso IX., king of Castile, were totally defeated by the Moors, July 19, 1195.
Alares. Name given by the Romans to troops which were placed on the wings of an army; these troops were generally furnished by allies.
Alarm. A sudden apprehension of being attacked by surprise, or the notice of such attack being actually made. It is generally signified by the discharge of fire-arms, the beat of a drum, etc.
Alarm Gun. A gun fired to give an alarm.
Alarm Post. In the field, is the ground appointed by the quartermaster-general for each regiment to march to, in case of an alarm. In a garrison, it is the place allotted by the governor for the troops to assemble on any sudden alarm.
Alaska. A large territory forming the northwest part of North America, which was purchased by the United States from Russia in 1867, and was annexed as a county to Washington Territory in 1872. The native inhabitants are Esquimaux, Indians, and Aleuts, with a few persons of Russian descent.
Alba de Tormes. A city in Spain, where the French defeated the Spaniards in 1809.